John Milton coined the phrase ‘pandemonium’ in “Paradise Lost” in 1667 to identify a specific location in Hell. As its etymology implies it refers to the widespread presence of evil spirits.
The ongoing turmoil in Eastern Europe is an overwhelming manifestation of pandemonium, one which indelibly impresses on us different images. Who will forget the celloist performing Bach’s Suite No. 5 in the bombed-out square of Kharkiv, or the pianist wearing fingerless gloves playing Schumann for fleeing refugees on a portable piano at the snowy Polish border, or the witness of violinists around the world performing in virtual orchestration the Ukrainian national anthem? These are the bold responses of a peaceful David against a bellicose Goliath, the confident sound of civilization against the bombastic roar of barbarism. With irrepressible spontaneity these voices calm and settle the hearts of those disrupted by the pandemonium while at the same time arouse and guide their spirits in holy defiance. Such is the urge of invincible Beauty; such is the force of innocence.
These images bring to mind a similar force of innocence in our own nation, a force arising against a different kind of pandemonium, one which is not exogenous but threatens us from within. With what name should we identify this threat? You choose. Consider its telltale menacing signs: our weakening solidarity around a common national purpose, our growing coarseness, the loss of our cohesion around the good, the true and the beautiful. The din of this newly forming threat is not deafening; it is lulling. It is not frightening; it is soporific. It hypnotizes us into a state of carefreeness where the edifying lessons of the past and the ennobling promises of the future no longer matter or stir us.
What force can awaken us from this self-induced cultural slumber? What psalm-singing David have we to confront this soul-suffocating Goliath of indifference? What is our response to the tranquilizing din of this nascent pandemonium?
As exaggerated a claim as it may seem I propose that one such force are the child singers of the American Federation Pueri Cantores. The American Federation (www.pcchoirs.org) is part of an international federation founded in the last century and endorsed by the Vatican. Its mission is to bring young and adolescent singers together to learn sacred music. They perform in local, regional, national and – at times – international venues. Not only do they explore more deeply the realms of beauty and the sacred, they share the experience with their peers, near and far, and together discover the richness of the faith. But, this is not exclusively a religious endeavor. These young choristers learn about the transcendence of the true and the beautiful and the self-fulfillment one finds in pursuing them. More to the point, the singing of these young people rallies the spirit of the families and communities fortunate to hear them and inspires in everyone a desire to rise above the mesmerizing drumbeat of pointlessness and to raise the banner for truth and beauty . Their voices are a polished pebble is David’s sling. Let us pray it has the same vanquishing effect.
The American Federation Pueri Cantores is listed in NCCF’s catalog. Through some miracle they have survived the two-year suspension of choral activity wrought by COVID and the consequent financial setback. Now, their “festival Masses” are occurring again. With much needed support they will be able to expand their outreach to more venues around the country so that the din of our national pandemonium will give way to the timeless and universal exultation of praise.